What do you do with your one broken heart?
This is the question Ann Voskamp asks that weighs heavy on my thoughts as I turn every page in this powerful, thought-provoking book, The Broken Way.
From my tear-stained pages of the first chapter, it is not until the last, where the beginning comes full circle, that I understand just why I was so captivated by her soulful prose. I realize that this book, the sharing of her brokenness, is in fact, the answer to the question for us all.
When you read this book, you can’t help but contemplate what your broken way looks like and what it has done to you. You can’t help but mull over it in order to try and find the redemption and the light that breaks through the broken places of your own heart.
You can’t help but wonder how you can use your brokenness to love others.
Not one thing in your life is more important than figuring out how to live in the face of unspoken pain.
And that’s why each time I finished reading a chapter in this book, the artistically painted phrases sat upon my mind. Her words followed me as I picked up the kids from school, watched soccer games and even went with me into the aisles of Walmart.
Cruciform. Koinonia.
How can I live the shape of the cross? How can I live in koinonia, or communion, with others? What does that look like for me?
Isn’t it true that what we really want to do is run away from brokenness? We don’t want to walk the broken path. We don’t like the broken way. We can’t bear to look at all the broken pieces of our life.
And yet the broken way is often the road to discovering the remarkable.
Maybe our hearts are made to be broken. Broken open. Broken free.
Maybe the deepest wounds birth deepest wisdom.#thebrokenway Click To Tweet
Wounds can be openings to the beauty in us. And our weaknesses can be a container for God’s glory.
Voskamp draws a cross on her wrist everyday to help her with what she refers to as her “chronic soul amnesia” so she remembers to live cruciform. So she remembers to love others as Christ loved her.
She dares herself to let her living be shaped like a cross, to allow bad brokenness to be broken by good brokenness and to live in koinonia (communion, soul sharing) with others by entering into their suffering.
Allow Christ in you to give away the gift of Himself right through your brokenness.#thebrokenway Click To Tweet
We are now Christ’s only earthly body—and if we aren’t the ones broken and given, we are the ones who dis-member Christ’s body. Unless we are the ones broken and given, we incapacitate Christ’s body on earth.
It seems I’m left with a deep questioning within my soul as I think upon her profoundly scripted words begging me to write them down and read them over and over until I dig into the depth of their rich meaning.
And I’m left with over two pages of quote-filled truths that still need to sink in completely.
As I absorbed how communion is a cross, a mutual intersection of one person’s life with the journey of another, and just what the word koinonia looks like lived out, I experienced this divine appointment—this intersection of lives in the aisles of Walmart.
As my children searched the aisles, I saw him there, the employee working in the toy department. His head was severely misshapen and part of his skull caved in. His eyes, uneven and one protruding. I wondered about his broken path. I wondered if people saw past his scars and into his soul.
As my son looked at the dinosaur figures, the employee said a friendly hello and struck up a conversation about the Therizinosaurus having foot-long claws and he even told a few jokes to make him laugh.
And then he shared his broken path. Just right there in the middle of Walmart. To us—strangers—my four kids and I.
“Want to know something? If you ever know someone who’s in a coma make sure you talk to them. They can hear you. I was in a coma for 45 days and my momma talked to me every day and sang to me and I heard her. And also, never ride down a driveway on a skateboard without a helmet. That’s why my head looks like this. A big truck didn’t see me and ran over my skull and crushed it.”
The kids listened and I asked him how he got through it, hoping to find an opportunity to share the light of Jesus in his brokenness.
And then he told us that it was Jesus Christ that got him through. He said he actually died and went to heaven and saw Jesus. Jesus told him that it wasn’t his time yet and that he needed to go back and tell others about Him and warn children to be careful riding skateboards and to wear helmets.
And here he was doing that very thing, sharing his brokenness. Just like Ann Voskamp shared the accident she witnessed when her own sister’s head was run over by a truck as my tears poured over that broken first chapter of her story.
My children and I left Walmart on an ordinary day and I knew I had just witnessed a divine koinonia moment of bad brokenness being broken into good brokenness—a thread, weaving Walmart moments and book chapters into spiritual recognition.
This man still lived his life with joy. A smile on his face. Helping others. In Walmart.
And I’m left to ponder the broken areas of my own life. The fear I’m unleashing and the healing that comes from turning fears into faith and wanting to help others through their own fears.
And all the ways I’ve failed to be cruciform to my own family, my longing to draw a cross on my wrist so I too can remember that the pouring out of my life will truly be the only way my soul fills up.
This is not a book that you can read and leave on the table without taking its words with you in your heart.
This was the first book I’ve read by Ann Voskamp but it will not be my last. I loved her poetic style of writing and the depth of her words reminded me of Oswald Chambers. I find myself wanting to read more from her and I’m happy to have found an author who tops the list as my favorite.
I received this book for free from the publishers of Ann Voskamp’s book launch team.
The Broken Way has just been released today! I’m certain this book will be a blessing to you!
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Hello there! I'm Valerie, a mom of four and wife of 27 years. My writing inspires others to cultivate courageous faith and find solace in trusting God, especially in moments of fear and uncertainty. Join me on this adventure as we explore the beauty of trusting God when we are afraid. 
I’ve been itching to read this book for awhile and your review, Valerie, just made me want to read it all the more. I enjoyed how you interwove some of your own personal story into the review which just made it all the more apparent the memorable nuggets of truth Ann Voskamp had in “The Broken Way” that were takeaways for her readers. Thanks again for sharing your review. 🙂
Thank you Sarah. I fell in love with her writing after just the first paragraph. I know you’ll love her book!
Came across this on Pinterest, Valerie, and was interested in hearing your thoughts. Absolutely beautiful. I love your story as much as I did hearing about the book. Ordering 2 copies through your link – one for me and one for a friend. Thanks for your beautiful words!
Katie, thank you so much for your kind words and for ordering the book through my link. What a blessing you are! I can’t wait to hear what you think after you read it!
Thank you for an excellent review! It may be just the thing to plan for Christmas giving. LOVED the story of the man in Walmart. We need to keep alert for opportunities to share our stories of how Christ impacted our lives. I believe every Christian has a story that someone needs to hear.
I agree! We each have a story to share that could encourage someone else. Thank you for visiting Kathleen!
Oh after reading your review, i’m so glad i orderd me a copy. Takes a while to get it here in the Netherlands. But i’m willing to wait. Thanks for the review.
Eveline
Yay! I’m sure you will love her book. I’m still thinking about it’s impact on me. Blessings to you!
Wow, Valerie! Your reviews always make me want to run out and get the books, but this review? Oh my stars! Your writing here was so beautiful … I could perfectly envision your God-appointed moment in Walmart with the amazing young man. Thank you, sweet friend, for the blessing tonight!
Wow! Thanks for your kind words! You encourage me so much.
Valerie, I am right now reading this book, and loving it. So good to read your impression — and that amazing Walmart story!
Thanks Michele! I can’t wait to read your review and impression of the book!
I can’t wait to read this book. I love Ann’s writing style–so deep and poetic. And this content sounds beautifully important. Thanks for sharing about it, Valerie!
Yes, I love her writing style! I can’t wait to hear how you like the book!
I NEED THIS BOOK!
Oh friend! You’ll love it!
Thanks for the review. Wow, what an amazing young man, and what a powerful testimony. It can be so hard to face our own brokenness, but it’s so crucial to stay broken before Jesus.
Anyway, hi from your neighbor at Godsized Dreams!
It is so hard to look at our own brokenness. I’ve realized it’s also hard for me to see the brokenness in others. But it always good to remember that brokenness is never wasted. God redeems it!
This looks so good, Valerie! I can’t wait to read this book
And, I agree with Sarah – what a wonderful review!
Thanks for sharing this one with us~
Blessings,
Melanie
Awe, thank you friend! You’ll love this book.
I’m loving this book.
Hi Debbie! Yes, isn’t it great?!
What a precious and important moment between your kids and the man at Walmart. It sounds like you are doing an amazing job raising caring children, Valerie. I love the quotes from Ann’s book you’ve shared here. The story of her sister’s death really got to me as well!
Awe, thank you for your kind words Candace! There were so many great quotes in this book. These are just a few, lol!
I cannot wait to read this book. I just know it’s going to WRECK me in the most beautiful ways. Thank you for this heartfelt review, dear friend. <3
What a great way to put it! This book definitely wrecked me in the most beautiful way. Thank you for taking the time to read my review, Lauren!
Valerie, I think this is the most beautifully written book review I’ve ever read…and so fitting, as Ann is one of the most beautiful writers in the world. I’m so glad you were part of her launch, and it is apparent that her words have left you forever changed…the goal of every writer! Blessings to you as you live the cross.
Wow, thank you for such a kind comment Sarah! You made me smile!
Oh my word! I NEED THIS BOOK. Love your review of it, that story of the young man isn’t one I’ll get out of my head soon. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Alecia! His story is one that will remain with me too, as well as the profound words of Ann Voskamp.
Thank you for such a revealing review. I feel like I have had a glimpse inside the pages and it leaves me wanting more:)
Thank you, Gretchen! Reading Ann Voskamp’s poetic way with words left me wanting more too! It’s such an inspiring book!
Thanks for such a thorough, personal review. Sounds like a great book that could be a life-changer. I liked Ann’s first book. I’m sure I will like this one too.
Thank you JoDitt! I’m looking forward to reading One Thousand Gifts next!